Jarmila Groth advances to second round after beating Lucie Safarova

JARMILA Groth got Australia's uphill Wimbledon campaign off to an encouraging start last night with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over higher-ranked Czech Lucie Safarova.

Groth produced a more confident grass court game to overcome the Czech left-hander, who at number 48 is ranked 21 players higher than Slovakian-born Groth.

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The 22-year Groth was steadier on the big points but did not show enough command of the court to give much confidence about the tougher assignment she faces in the next round, in the shape of 10-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams.

Unless Lleyton Hewitt or fellow Aussies Jelena Dokic and Sam Stosur can produce an upset they are all seeded to be eliminated by the third round, which would make this year Australia's worst Wimbledon singles performance since 1939.

The four Australians who have qualified for main draw of the singles are barely enough to match last year's four-strong contingent at Wimbledon as the smallest that Australia has ever had at Grand Slam in the Open era.

Although based in Melbourne, Groth has not been able to qualify for Australian citizenship because the tennis tour stops her from reaching the necessary stretch of residency in Australia, but tennis officials have allowed her to compete as an Australian in the Grand Slams.

She relied on a stronger serve, more assertive groundstrokes and a greater willingngess to come into the net edge Safarova, a clay court specialist who had not played a competitive match on grass all year.

Neither player had done much at Wimbledon before last night, with Safarova managing a third-round appearance in 2007, the best year of her career when she went at least that far in all four Grand Slams and reached a career high ranking of 22.

For her part Groth had only ever won one match in three attempts at Wimbledon but she had much more aggressive intent than her Czech opponent last night.

Groth pounced before Safarova could settle, breaking service to love at the first opportunity and racing out to a 3-0 lead.

When challenged in the next game Groth produced an ace to hld serve, and had mich firmer nerves on the big points.

The Czech broke back to trail 3-4 then went to a 30-0 lead on the back of two mis-hits by Groth but the Australian regained the initiative by charging the net to make her opponent pay for two soft serves.

Although both players are 22 Safarova has been on the circuit for three more years and her greater experience showed in the third set as she wrestled her way ack into the match by forcing longer rallies, forcing a third set.

But Groth has a much stronger record in third sets and she broke again in the third game of the final set.

Safarova only matched Groth's aggression when it was too late, unwinding on a backhand winner to save a set point but Groth wrapped up with an ace to show she had lost none of her aggression.